CIO Insights and Analysis from DeloitteCONTENT FROM OUR SPONSORPlease note: The Wall Street Journal News Department was not involved in the creation of the content below.

Text Size

Regular

Medium

Large

Google+

Print

The New Economics of Rugged Devices

Smartphones and tablets are now more resilient, which means deploying rugged devices to the field force is now less expensive.

Smartphones and tablets are not as fragile as they used to be. Dropping them or getting them a little wet is no longer a catastrophe. Manufacturers have made devices more resilient to accommodate the realities of daily consumer use, but this toughening has had a knock-on effect for the business market: These devices are now more likely to survive the rigors of use by field forces.

Many businesses have already recognized the opportunity. Companies will issue about 10 million consumer smartphones and tablets to field force workers in 2014, Deloitte predicts. A case costing between $30 and $100 will be the only adaptation required. The cost of a smartphone and case would start from about $250 for specifications sufficient for a field force worker: a 1.5 GHz processor, 8 gigabytes of RAM, a sufficiently toughened screen (measuring 4.5 inches or larger), Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular mobile.

For many years, companies have been issuing workers at construction sites and other outdoor environments highly rugged devices that can endure harsh conditions, including exposure to dust and hard falls. These specialized rugged devices, such as walkie-talkies or PDAs, could cost more than $1,000 per unit and require software costing a few hundred dollars per year.

The market for specialized rugged devices is not going away. However, the greater durability of today’s consumer devices creates an opportunity to deploy them for activities—from inspecting roads to logging package deliveries—that do not require an ultra-rugged device.

In this TMT predictions video, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited researchers Duncan Stewart and Paul Lee explain the new economics of deploying mobile devices to the field force.

About Deloitte Insights

Deloitte Insights for CIOs couples broad business insights with deep technical knowledge to help executives drive business and technology strategy, support business transformation, and enhance growth and productivity. Through fact-based research, technology perspectives and analyses, case studies and more, Deloitte Insights for CIOs informs the essential conversations in global, technology-led organizations. Learn more.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.